Implantation and Recovery of Long-Term Archival Transceivers in a Migratory Shark with High Site Fidelity

We developed a long-term tagging method that can be used to understand species assemblages and social groupings associated with large marine fishes such as the Sand Tiger shark Carcharias taurus. We deployed internally implanted archival VEMCO Mobile Transceivers (VMTs; VEMCO Ltd. Nova Scotia, Canada) in 20 adult Sand Tigers, of which two tags were successfully recovered (10%). The recovered VMTs recorded 29,646 and 44,210 detections of telemetered animals respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate a method for long-term (~ 1 year) archival acoustic transceiver tag implantation, retention, and recovery in a highly migratory marine fish. Results show low presumed mortality (n = 1, 5%), high VMT retention, and that non-lethal recovery after almost a year at liberty can be achieved for archival acoustic transceivers. This method can be applied to study the social interactions and behavioral ecology of large marine fishes.     

Chloroplast DNA diversity in wild and cultivated species of rice (Genus Oryza,section Oryza). Cladistic-mutation and genetic-distance analysis

Summary Using a novel nonaqueous procedure, chloroplast DNA was isolated from 318 individual adult rice plants, representing 247 accessions and the breadth of the diversity in section Oryza of genus Oryza. Among them, 32 different cpDNA restriction patterns were distinguished using the restriction endonucleases EcoRI and AvaI, and they were further characterized by restriction with BamHI, HindIII, SmaI, PstI, and BstEII enzymes. The differences in the electrophoretic band patterns were parsimoniously interpreted as being the result of 110 mutations, including 47 restriction site mutations. The relationships between band patterns were studied by a cladistic analysis based on shared mutations and by the computation of genetic distances based on shared bands. The deduced relationships were compared with earlier taxonomical studies. The maternal parents for BC genome allotetraploids were deduced. Within species, cpDNA diversity was found larger in those species with an evolutionary history of recent introgression and/or allotetraploidization. Occasional paternal inheritance and recombination of cpDNA in rice was suggested.     

Saturated Molecular Map of the Rice Genome Based on an Interspecific Backcross Population

A molecular map has been constructed for the rice genome comprised of 726 markers (mainly restriction fragment length polymorphisms; RFLPs). The mapping population was derived from a backcross between cultivated rice, Oryza sativa, and its wild African relative, Oryza longistaminata. The very high level of polymorphism between these species, combined with the use of polymerase chain reaction-amplified cDNA libraries, contributed to mapping efficiency. A subset of the probes used in this study was previously used to construct an RFLP map derived from an inter subspecific cross, providing a basis for comparison of the two maps and of the relative mapping efficiencies in the two crosses. In addition to the previously described PstI genomic rice library, three cDNA libraries from rice (Oryza), oat (Avena) and barley (Hordeum) were used in this mapping project. Levels of polymorphism detected by each and the frequency of identifying heterologous sequences for use in rice mapping are discussed. Though strong reproductive barriers isolate O. sativa from O. longistaminata, the percentage of markers showing distorted segregation in this backcross population was not significantly different than that observed in an intraspecific F(2) population previously used for mapping. The map contains 1491 cM with an average interval size of 4.0 cM on the framework map, and 2.0 cM overall. A total of 238 markers from the previously described PstI genomic rice library, 250 markers from a cDNA library of rice (Oryza), 112 cDNA markers from oat (Avena), and 20 cDNA markers from a barley (Hordeum) library, two genomic clones from maize (Zea), 11 microsatellite markers, three telomere markers, eleven isozymes, 26 cloned genes, six RAPD, and 47 mutant phenotypes were used in this mapping project. Applications of a molecular map for plant improvement are discussed.     

Classification of cultivated rices into indica and japonica types by the isozyme,RFLP and two milled-rice methods

Four methods for classifying cultivated rices (Oryza sativa L.) (including IR varieties) into indica and japonica types — waxy gene product in endosperm starch, glutelin ₃ molecular weight in milled rice, RFLP polymorphism at the Wx locus and Glaszmann's isozyme method — were compared. On the basis of the two endosperm traits and the RFLP method Glaszmann's group 1 (indica) was classified as mainly indica and intermediate groups 2, 3 and 4 as exclusively indica. However, the endosperm traits classified Glaszmann's group 5 as mainly indica, while the RFLP method classified it as japonica. The RFLP waxy gene probe was closest to the isozyme method in classifying group 6 as japonicas; the waxy gene product gave mainly indica reaction even in group 6, and the glutelin ₃ method was intermediate. All IR rices were classified as being indica on the basis of Wx gene product and by Glaszmann's method, but a few were classified as japonica by the glutelin ₃ method and by the RFLP waxy gene probe.     

The protective value of the colour and shape of the mountain katydid's antipredator defence

Deimatic behaviour is performed by prey when attacked by predators as part of an antipredator strategy. The behaviour is part of a sequence that consists of several defences, for example they can be preceded by camouflage and followed by a hidden putatively aposematic signal that is only revealed when the deimatic behaviour is performed. When displaying their hidden signal, mountain katydids (Acripeza reticulata) hold their wings vertically, exposing striking red and black stripes with blue spots and oozing an alkaloid-rich chemical defence derived from its Senecio diet. Understanding differences and interactions between deimatism and aposematism has proven problematic, so in this study we isolated the putative aposematic signal of the mountain katydid's antipredator strategy to measure its survival value in the absence of their deimatic behaviour. We manipulated two aspects of the mountain katydid's signal, colour pattern and whole body shape during display. We deployed five kinds of clay models, one negative control and four katydid-like treatments, in 15 grids across part of the mountain katydid's distribution to test the hypothesis that their hidden signal is aposematic. If this hypothesis holds true, we expected that the models, which most closely resembled real katydids would be attacked the least. Instead, we found that models that most closely resembled real katydids were the most likely to be attacked. We suggest several ideas to explain these results, including that the deimatic phase of the katydid's display, the change from a camouflaged state to exposing its hidden signal, may have important protective value.     

前庭—交感反应的中枢通路分析

用锋电位触发叠加(STA)技术对大鼠前庭内侧核(NVM)、下段脑干网状结构(RF)和前庭小脑进行了探查,观察了这些结构中对摆动旋转起反应的单位(PPU)与内脏大神经(SN)记录的交感反应之间的关系。发现用NVM的PPU进行STA,在SN可得一阳性反应,其潜伏期为33.28±3.1ms;用下段脑干RF的PPU进行STA,SN的峰反应潜伏期为11.3±0.91ms;用前庭小脑的PPU进行STA,SN的峰反应潜伏期为21.86±1.73ms。本结果提示前庭交感反应的最近的脊髓上中继站是下段脑干RF旁正中区核团,其下行冲动可能是由网状脊髓束中慢速传导的纤维传导的。根据三个脑区PPU引起的SN-STA潜伏期的不同,在前庭交感反应中前庭小脑所处的地位可能在NVM和下段脑干RF核团之间。     

A metabolomics based approach for understanding the influence of terroir in Vitis Vinifera L.

This study aims to understand the contribution of ‘terroir’ during the cultivation of Vitis vinifera L. The concept of terroir stems from the French ideal that a region’s soil and local vineyard topography together with a region’s macroclimate, including the mesoclimate and vine microclimate, together define the unique characteristics of a wine. In this current study we have utilized high performance liquid chromatography combined with a Q Exactive quadrupole Orbitrap™ mass analyzer for the direct injection analysis of Vitis vinifera juice samples sourced from two different vineyards from the Santa Ynez AVA of Santa Barbara county. Analysis of the mass spectral data was facilitated by a differential analysis software program—SIEVE 2.0™. Distinct metabolomic signatures in freshly crushed juice samples were elucidated. Interestingly, important and distinct information was revealed from the analysis of both the positive and negative ion data. Hierarchical clustering indicated the negative ion data displayed similarity based on varietal character while results obtained in the positive ion mode clustered primarily on terroir. This may indicate that more acidic compounds are influenced by varietal character while more basic compounds are influenced by terroir. Using a feature of SIEVE 2.0 a flavonoid database was utilized to search the raw data for flavonoids present in the juice samples. This targeted analysis indicated the flavonoid profile of juice samples appears to be a good indicator of varietal character independent of terroir. The analysis presented in this study suggests distinct Vitis vinifera grape juice chemical signatures are present prior to fermentation. Further analysis will aim to attribute which of these compounds is influenced by varietal character and/or terroir.

     

Historical Shifts in Brazilian P. falciparum Population Structure and Drug Resistance Alleles

Previous work suggests that Brazilian Plasmodium falciparum has limited genetic diversity and a history of bottlenecks, multiple reintroductions due to human migration, and clonal expansions. We hypothesized that Brazilian P. falciparum would exhibit clonal structure. We examined isolates collected across two decades from Amapá, Rondônia, and Pará state (n = 190). By examining more microsatellites markers on more chromosomes than previous studies, we hoped to define the extent of low diversity, linkage disequilibrium, bottlenecks, population structure, and parasite migration within Brazil. We used retrospective genotyping of samples from the 1980s and 1990s to explore the population genetics of SP resistant dhfr and dhps alleles. We tested an existing hypothesis that the triple mutant dhfr mutations 50R/51I/108N and 51I/108N/164L developed in southern Amazon from a single origin of common or similar parasites. We found that Brazilian P. falciparum had limited genetic diversity and isolation by distance was rejected, which suggests it underwent bottlenecks followed by migration between sites. Unlike Peru, there appeared to be gene flow across the Brazilian Amazon basin. We were unable to divide parasite populations by clonal lineages and pairwise FST were common. Most parasite diversity was found within sites in the Brazilian Amazon, according to AMOVA. Our results challenge the hypothesis that triple mutant alleles arose from a single lineage in the Southern Amazon. SP resistance, at both the double and triple mutant stages, developed twice and potentially in different regions of the Brazilian Amazon. We would have required samples from before the 1980s to describe how SP resistance spread across the basin or describe the complex internal migration of Brazilian parasites after the colonization efforts of past decades. The Brazilian Amazon basin may have sufficient internal migration for drug resistance reported in any particular region to rapidly spread to other parts of basin under similar drug pressure.